The Irish standard., 1887-09-17
HISTORY OF A CONVERSION
How the Daughter Of Governor Of
Virginia Became a Catholic and In
fuenced Many Other Persons
TO JOIN THE TRUE CHURCH
A Life Spent in Charity and Good
Works Crowned by
Pious Death.

IN tflS country WHICH Was 50 untApcCG-
ed and surprising, and attended with
such great consequences, as that ct Miss
I.aetitia T.. Floyd. She was the eldest
daughter of the elder John Floyd, then
governor OF Virginia and living with
his family in the executive mansion in
Richmond, and she inherited the great
mental gifts Of both her parents. Her
mother was member Of the Preston
famly, which produced SO many bril-
liant men and women, and was remark
able for her powers Of conversation, in
which she equalled any Of the distin-
guished men of the day. She took the
same interest in public affairs that her
husband did, and kept we'll informed
about them during her whole life.
Governor Floyd lived in Montgomery
county, in the southwestern part OF
Virginia, which was then a remote and
rather inaccessible region. There was
no Catholic Church in Virginia west Of
Richmond, and only q small chapel
there, attended twice month from
Portsmouth. No Catholic priest had
ever been in any part ct Southwest
Virginia. No Catholic resided there,
and NO Catholic books were to be found
in the whole region. Governor Floyd,
his wife and children, all had literary
tastes, and there WAS quite Il large
library in the house, but was Protest
ant altogether. The children. there
fore, nad no opportunity there OF learn
ing anything about the Church, it's ten
cts or practices.
But Mr.. Floyd, before he was made
Governor, had been for =. number Of
years member of Congress, and, in
order TO have his sons near him, had
caused two OF them to be- educated at
Georgetown, and though both Of them
afterwards became Catholics, it was
not until some time after the conversion
of their sister, and resulted FROM it and
not froru their stay at Georgetown.
Mrs. Floyd was fond OF the society
OF able men, and not being at the time
"a member of any Church, was in the
habit OF going where she could hear
the best sermon regardless OF denomin-
alton. Two priests came alternately
to Richmond, one Of whom was Father
Shriber, who was very able man, and
whose sermons Mrs. Floyd delighted to
hear. merely, however, as an intellect
ual treat. So whenever it was his Sun.
day to preach in the little chapel to the
mere handful of Catholics then consti-
tuting the congregation. she usually
attended and often took her daughter
wish her. OF course the presence OF
the wife Of the governor and her
daughter could not be unknown to
Father Shriber, and an acquaintance
thus sprung up between the priest and
his visitors. ..
Father >5hmber's health having failed,
it was decided to send a resident priest
to Richmond, and Father Timothy
O,Brien was selected. The sermons
OF Father Shriber, together with what
She learned from her two brothers,
then recently returned from George
town. had reused q strong interest in
the mind and heart OF Miss Floyd, and
she applied to Father o Brien for books
and instruction, which be gave cheer
fully. Under these influences she made
no her mind to become Catholic; aud
though such All event, in the then state
of feeling in Virginia, as the daughter
of a governor entering that Church
could not fail to excite surprise and
create unfayorable comment, yet she
met with DO opposition from either OF
her parents. She was baptized by
Father O'Brien, who stood her god
father; Mrs. Branda, who afterwards
became the Countess OF Poictiers,
being 2odmother.
This occurred just at the expiration
of Governor FloYd's term Of Office, and
his health not being very good, be took
a tour through the South accompanied
by his wife, his three daughters and
one Of his sons. At New Orleans
where they had relatives, the party re-
NAMED some time, and there Miss
Floyd was married to Colonel William
L, Lewis of South Carolina.
The fruits of her conversion soon be-
gan to show themselves. Very soon
after her baptism her sister Lavalette
was also baptized. She is still living,
and is the wife of Professor Holmes Of
the University Of Virginia. Later on
her youngersister came into the Church.
She is also still living, the wife Of Hon.
j. w. Johnston. who represented V1r-
ginia for thirteen years in the United
States Senate. Mr.. Johnston M also
Joined the Church, and was the second